Unexpectedly
by Nitehuntres
Summary: Kael'thas Sunstrider, heartbroken when Jaina gives her heart to Arthas, finds love in another human girl, who this time returns that love.
1. Chapter 1

**If you managed to get past that horribly cheesy summary, and it really was, I promise that the story, hopefully, is much better. It is my first time writing a fanfiction, although not my first time writing in general at least. I aspire to someday be more than a fanfiction writer, so constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, just try not to be too harsh with me. It is rated M for a later chapter, or chapters, I'm unsure as of now, but I'll let you know.**

 **The beginning of this story may seem a bit confusing to those of you who haven't read Arthas by Christie Golden, which I would recommend by the way; I found it interesting. In short, Kael'thas finds Jaina and Arthas kissing in a hallway in Dalaran, and gets understandably upset; he then accuses Arthas of being ashamed of Jaina, yells at them both some more, and walks away. This takes place directly after that. Honestly, my main purpose for writing this was because I wanted to give Kael'thas some happiness. His life was not so great when you think about it; just one thing after another.**

 **So thank you for taking the time, please read and review, and I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)**

Kael'thas strode away from Jaina and Arthas, head held high, determined to keep his dignity in front of them. His chest felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside. He had really liked Jaina... He wasn't sure he would go so far as to say he loved her, but it was something close to that. He had hoped... No, there was no point in that anymore. She clearly did not care for him at all. And he was not going to spend his time torturing himself with thoughts of her.

He rounded a corner and found a dark alcove in the small, rarely used hallway. There, in the darkness, he crouched over and forced himself not to cry. He would not shed a single tear for her. She wasn't worth it.

But... it really hurt. Kael'thas hadn't realized just how much he had cared for her until now.

Sighing, he finally sat down on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest. He folded his arms on top of his knees and buried his face in them. He was so wrapped up in his own despair that he didn't even hear the soft footsteps coming down the hall towards him.

"... Kael'thas Sunstrider?" a soft voice said from the hallway.

Shocked, Kael'thas quickly looked up, not even bothering to hide the pain that he was sure was clearly evident on his face. The girl was standing in front of the alcove, clutching two books to her chest... with a very confused expression on her face. He faintly recognized her, although he couldn't remember her name. Around the age of Jaina, although not as far in her studies as she had come to Dalaran a few years after Jaina. From what he had heard about her, she was brilliant for her age, the smartest of any students at her level of training. But she was also quiet, and didn't really talk to many people. He wasn't entirely sure if it was because she was snobbish because of her intellect, or simply because she was shy. Her hair was black and went a little past her shoulders, and Kael'thas noticed her striking ice blue eyes. She was also short, probably only around 5'2 and extremely skinny. She was wearing black trousers, a forest green tunic, and knee high boots. Clearly, she had been enjoying the warm day out in one of the gardens.

They both stared at each other uncomfortably for a moment, before she finally spoke.

"Are... are you okay?" she asked shyly.

He looked down at the floor and didn't answer. He wasn't sure if he could get through the explanation without breaking down. _Damn,_ he thought. _This isn't like me, why do I feel like this?_

She looked at him with understanding then joined him in the alcove. She set her books down on one of the shelves of the bookcase that was pushed in the back and sat down across from Kael'thas. It was a tight space and their feet were nearly touching.

She looked at him for a moment then said, "You don't have to say anything. It's okay. I can stay if you want company, but if you'd rather be alone then I'll leave you be too..."

Kael'thas didn't say anything, just continued to stare off into the distance. Almost without his volition he spoke.

"Please stay," he whispered.

She gave him a small, sad smile and leaned back against the wall, watching him quietly.

After a few minutes of struggling with the pain in his chest, the thought finally struck Kael'thas how this girl just sat there. She didn't reach for a book, she didn't try to find ways to entertain herself while he sat there silently, she just sat there with him. Keeping him company. He also took note of how she didn't treat him like a prince, just like another person. He found comfort in her relaxing presence.

"What's your name?" he asked suddenly.

The girl turned her head towards Kael'thas to find him watching her intently.

"Shiloh," she said, returning his unwavering stare.

"Thank you Shiloh, for staying with me," Kael'thas said. "I know it was terribly impolite to ask you to stay without even introducing myself. But it seems you already know who I am."

"I do. And don't worry about it. We all need a little support sometimes, even if that comes from complete strangers."

He nodded, his eyes filled with pain.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Shiloh asked kindly, scooting forward and resting a hand on his arm.

"No, I'm afraid not," Kael'thas replied kindly, forcing a small smile for her sake.

"Well, then I guess I'll just have to stick around you until you feel better then, huh?" she said, smiling warmly back at him.

Kael'thas looked confused by this statement.

"That's what people do, you know? They make sure you're alright," she explained.

"But... we hardly know each other. We just met," he said, still looking confused. He understood kindness but... she was acting like they had been friends for their entire lives.

"So? It doesn't seem like you have a lot of friends yourself, no offense. You just kinda seem like a loner, like me. Maybe a few close friends, but you prefer to be by yourself?" Shiloh asked, looking questioningly at Kael'thas.

He nodded, shocked. That was him. He wasn't overly fond of being around a lot of people, he much preferred being alone with his thoughts.

"I'm the same way. You know, they say that loners get along better with each other than anyone else because they can relate to each other. Maybe we can become good friends," Shiloh said, still smiling.

Kael'thas smiled back at her, a real smile this time. There was just something about her... he couldn't explain it but it made him feel better, made him forget his trouble with Jaina. He certainly hoped they would be friends.

"I hope so," he said.

"Well then, I have to be getting back to my studies, but it was nice meeting you," she said, standing up and grabbing her books.

She started walking away, turning over her shoulder to say, "See you later, Kael'thas."

"Call me Kael," he called back to her.

She smiled and nodded, then continued walking away.

He smiled to himself, still sitting in the alcove. He marveled at how quickly he had warmed up to Shiloh. Just a few minutes ago, he hadn't even known who she was. But she was just so friendly and open, she was a completely different person than how she looked from a distance. But he had enjoyed what little time they had spent together. She had made him completely forget about Jaina and the pain in his chest. He felt it again now, but not nearly as bad. He felt like he could actually get up and continue on with his day. He smiled again at Shiloh's retreating back before getting up and going back to his quarters to study.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again to anybody who might be reading this. I decided to post a new chapter already, although regular updates will probably be around every one or two weeks. It's a short chapter, even shorter than the first, but I hope you enjoy it. Thank you to anybody who continues to read!**

The next few days went by as they had before the incident with Jaina, the only difference being Kael'thas tried his best to stay as far away from her as possible. At first he only thought of Shiloh when he thought of Jaina, when he remembered how she had made him feel better. But as the days went by, he found himself thinking about her more and more. He wanted to spend time with her and get to know this mysterious woman.

And so it was that after that same class that had led to him discovering Jaina's relationship with Arthas, Kael'thas went to that deserted hallway where Shiloh had found him. He hoped that this was the way she took everyday, otherwise it would take a lot more work for him to find her. He went into the same alcove where he had met her and waited silently in the shadows.

He had only been waiting for a few minutes when he heard soft footsteps coming down the hallway towards him. Kael'thas waited impatiently for her to come into view and was delighted to see that it was indeed Shiloh.

He stayed hidden in the shadows until she was just about to pass in front of the alcove, then stepped out. She didn't seem surprised at all, and looked up at him as if he had been standing in plain view of her.

"Hi, Kael'thas," she said, smiling kindly.

"I told you, call me Kael," he said, smiling back at her.

"I know, but... I kinda like Kael'thas better," she said, looking away shyly.

"It doesn't make that much of a difference to me, just most people prefer Kael because it's shorter," he said, shrugging.

Then he noticed the book she was holding. It wasn't a book for studying, in fact he wasn't even sure if the library had it, although considering how large it was... It was a story about two people caught up in battle on opposite sides of the war. But somehow they overcame that and fell in love. It wasn't something he would've read on his own, but Jaina had read it herself and suggested it to him, citing it as something that everyone should read to teach them that anything can be overcome for the right reasons, as she had put it. So he had borrowed it from her and read it, and found that he actually enjoyed the story.

"What do you think of it?" he blurted without thinking, indicating the book in her arms.

"Oh, I love it, but I'm only halfway through so no spoilers," she said, smiling animatedly at the topic of conversation. "You read it?"

"Yes, on the recommendation of a friend," he said. "I enjoyed it myself."

She smiled at that, then bit her lip as if unsure about something. She hesitated only a moment longer, before seeming to overcome that hesitation.

"I was just gonna go grab something to eat and enjoy the day. Would you like to join me?" she asked, a light pink shading her cheeks.

"I'd love to," he said, smiling. This was the perfect opportunity for him to get to know her better.

So they went and grabbed some snacks and drinks, then went out to one of the lovely gardens in Dalaran. They sat under one of the trees and enjoyed a light lunch together. They talked about many things, from books they had enjoyed to their current studies. It never strayed to anything more than a nice conversation between friends.

When they ran out of things to talk about, they simply sat and watched the clouds roll slowly by. Finally, she spoke.

"Well I have to be getting back. But I really enjoyed this. I hope we can do it again sometime," she said.

"I hope so too," he replied, and smiled as he watched her gather her things and leave. Then he had an idea.

"Hey!" he said, running a little to catch up.

She turned expectantly.

"Do you usually have plans on Sundays?" he asked.

"No, not usually. I spend my Sundays relaxing and enjoying myself before the week begins again," she answered, looking confused at the question.

"Do you think we could meet up on Sundays, like this, every week?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, I'd love that," she said, smiling brightly.

"How does one sound?"

"Fantastic," she replied then turned to leave again.

This time he let her go, watching as she went, already excited for Sunday. He genuinely enjoyed spending time with her. He found it relaxing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Well I'm back with another chapter! This chapter gets a little more interesting, so I hope you like it. And thank you to** **Rexigon for the review, I will definitely continue on with this story.**

Weeks turned into months, and spring turned into summer. Yet every week, Kael'thas and Shiloh would spend Sunday together.

At first, it had only been an hour or two. But as time went on, the time they spent together got longer until they spent all of their Sunday from 1:00 to sunset together. But Kael'thas didn't mind and neither did Shiloh, as they both enjoyed the time they spent together.

Kael'thas' feelings for Jaina all but disappeared within a week or two. But as he continued to spend more time together with Shiloh, he came to realize he had feelings for her. He hadn't wanted to admit it at first. After what had happened with Jaina, he didn't want to have his heart broken again. But his feelings grew until he could no longer deny it to himself. Of course, he didn't say how he felt to Shiloh. He figured it would be less painful for him to not tell her his feelings and watch her live her life without him than it would be for him to be denied by her. At least this way, his heart might be hurting but it certainly wouldn't be shattered.

But, not telling her how he felt came with it's fair share of difficulties. There were times when he had truely struggled to keep his feelings in check. One time, they had been sitting in the garden and the way the sun was shining on her face and the wind was blowing her hair a little, he had wanted nothing more than to kiss her. He had forced himself to look away and think about something else before he did something he'd regret. Lately, he'd been finding it much harder to keep himself in check and he realized that the thing he wanted most in this world was to be able to call her his own. He only wished he knew if she felt the same.

But he didn't, and so he suffered through it. He was happy just to be near her, even if they were only friends.

Today he had something special planned. It was nearing the end of summer and the warm days were going to start giving away to cooler ones. He had been waiting patiently for the perfect day and it had arrived. He was going to take her out of Dalaran, where they would normally spend their time in one of the gardens. He knew of a lovely area, mostly just open fields with long, sloping hills. He had rode around one day and found the perfect spot, with a great view of the surrounding area and shaded by a huge cherry blossom tree.

He waited impatiently for 1:00 to roll around and it finally did. They met in the hallway where they had first met, and from there they would normally go find a nice garden devoid of any people, so she was slightly surprised when he suggested something else.

"Oh good, you're wearing good clothes to ride in," Kael'thas said when she arrived to their meeting place.

"... Yeah. Were we planning on going riding today?" she asked curiously.

"Yep. I have a special plan, to celebrate the last days of summer," he said.

"So am I going to be able to hear this plan?" she asked.

"Nope. It's all a surprise. Gotta keep you on your toes," he replied, smiling mischievously at her.

She shook her head at him with a laugh, and followed as he led the way to the stables.

He had had two horses already prepared for them, so they could leave immediately. They both mounted then took off, Kael'thas leading the way.

It wasn't too long of a ride and only took about 15 minutes to get there. He recognized the spot immediately as there weren't any quite like this one. He slowed to a stop and dismounted, tying his horse's reins to a low hanging tree branch. Shiloh followed suit, looking up at the tree in wonder.

"It's beautiful," she said quietly.

Kael'thas grinned at her. He had expected a reaction like this.

He got out their light lunch and set it up, then pulled her down beside him in the shade of the tree.

They ate quietly, enjoying the meal in silence. When they were done, they sat staring up at the sky. It was quite a warm day, almost uncomfortable in the pants and tunic Kael'thas had worn. He thought he recalled seeing a small lake nearby, close enough to ride to. He got up, and pulled Shiloh up with him.

"Come on," he said, a mischievous grin lighting up his face as he untied and handed her horse's reins to her.

She took them and mounted without question, giving up on trying to figure out everything he did.

He led them to where he was sure the lake was and was happy to find he had indeed been right. There were a few trees surrounding it and they tied up their horses to one of them. Then they removed their boots and rolled up their pants to their knees, wading in to the lake.

It was pleasantly cool, and Kael'thas reveled in the feel of the sand against his bare feet. He stood a few feet away from Shiloh, who looked up at the sky and closed her eyes in peace. Grinning, he saw his chance. He reached down, dipping his hand into the water, and flipped a handful of water at her.

It hit her side, most getting caught by her arm rather than her clothes, and her eyes and mouth opened wide in shock. Then she turned to Kael'thas, a murderous look in her eyes, and chased after the now retreating elf, flinging water at him as best she could while running. Eventually he gave up on retreating and turned back to her, flinging water back at her inbetween making a vain attempt at stopping the water she was hitting him with.

After a minute or two, they both stopped, laughing too hard to continue. They stood knee high in the water, hunched over with laughter. They stumbled their way out of the water, and Kael'thas enveloped her in his arms, both still laughing almost uncontrollably.

"Sorry," he said inbetween laughs.

She just laughed and shook her head at him, burying her face in his shoulder.

Gradually their laughs subsided but she stayed in his arms, looking up at him with a smile still playing around the edges of her mouth. Kael'thas thought she looked so beautiful right then.

Without thinking, he leaned down and captured her lips in his. It was a gentle kiss and at first she froze, then she melted into his touch. The kiss deepened as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.

She pulled back first, slightly out of breath and smiled shyly up at him, a light blush creeping up on her cheeks. He smiled at her, brushing a stray piece of hair out of her face. Then she sighed happily and rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling into his neck.

"Well I hope this means I haven't been rejected," Kael'thas said quietly.

"Never," Shiloh whispered against his neck.

They stood like that for a few more minutes, reveling in the feel of being wrapped in each other's arms. When they parted, they agreed they should be heading back to Dalaran. As they rode back, it hit Kael'thas how much it actually meant that he and Shiloh were... together now, he supposed. He was the prince of Quel'thalas. Rumors would fly, and their relationship would be much more complicated with everyone knowing, especially if his father and the other elves at Quel'thalas found out. He wasn't sure he was ready for everyone to know yet. He wanted to be with her, but he didn't want everybody to know when he didn't even know if it would last.

"Can I ask a favor of you?" he asked Shiloh seriously.

"Of course," she replied, looking confused at the question.

"Listen, I don't want everyone to know about this. It's not that I'm ashamed of you or anything but... the consequences of the prince of Quel'thalas in a relationship would be..." he trailed off, at a loss for words. "I'm not ready for everyone to know," he said at last, quietly, worried she would turn away from him because of this.

She smiled understandingly and nudged her horse closer to his so she could rest her hand on his. She leaned down a little so she could look up into his downcast eyes.

"I understand. I really do. And if you're not ready to tell anybody then that's fine with me. I'll wait as long as I need to," she said.

"But I don't want to be without you. I don't... I don't know what to do," he said, looking to her pleadingly. He had just gotten her, he didn't want to lose her so quickly.

"I didn't say we couldn't be in a relationship. It'll just have to be a little more discreet. We can take more trips outside Dalaran rather than staying in the gardens, where we won't be seen by prying eyes. Then we can be together without anyone knowing," she said.

He smiled at her, his worries lifted. She was right; they would find a way to make it work.

It was fairly late when they got back and they both retired to their rooms. Kael'thas lay down on his bed, hands behind his head. He couldn't remember a time when he'd been happier.


	4. Chapter 4

**And I'm back again. So sorry for the long wait guys! I've been busy with school, making sure my grades stay up with the end of the quarter coming soon, and then midterms this week. It's been exhausting, but I'm finally getting around to posting the next chapter. Thank you to anyone who's been reading, I really appreciate it!**

Because of their agreement to keep their relationship a secret, Kael'thas and Shiloh were reduced to furtive glances in the hallways and during the formal dinners that they were both invited to. Kael'thas had to keep reminding himself that it was only for a week. Then they could leave the confines of Dalaran and they could be together. He tried to remind himself of this every time he saw her. Yet it had only been a few days, and Kael'thas felt he could take it no longer. He finally broke.

Kael'thas had memorized her schedule in order to 'bump' into her through the halls just so he could see her. He did his best not to do that after every one of her classes, though, so as not to raise suspicion. He checked the time and realized the hallway he would have to go to in order to see her would be the one where they had first met. He almost laughed at how ironic it was. But at least he knew she would be alone.

It took him only minutes to reach the hallway, his long legs covering the distance easily. He found the alcove he had been sitting in when she had first found him and waited patiently in the shadows. She shouldn't be too much longer. Sure enough, it wasn't long before he could hear her footsteps coming down the hallway. He watched quietly as she came into view, thankfully not carrying any books. At least he wouldn't have to worry about her dropping them and somebody overhearing.

He waited until she was just about to walk past the alcove, then darted out and snatched her into his arms, pulling her back into the shadows with him and crushing his lips against hers. She froze, then relaxed in his arms as she realized it was him. She kissed him back, matching his passion, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to her. He backed her up until her back was against the wall and intensified the kiss. He could almost feel her lips swelling up under his. But she never pulled away, only matched his intensity.

They pulled away at the same time, both almost painfully out of breath. They stood, their arms still wrapped around each other, and panted heavily. Kael'thas recovered first and decided to give her an explanation.

"I'm sorry but I just couldn't take it any longer. I needed... I needed you," he said, looking deep into her eyes.

She looked evenly back at him, her eyes and face glowing.

"I know how you feel. I was at my breaking point, but I knew you didn't want anyone to know..." she said, trailing off.

"Yeah. I found a way around that," Kael'thas said, a small smile creeping onto his lips.

"I can see that," she said, laughing breathlessly.

Shiloh leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder, her lips brushing lightly against his neck, arms still wrapped around him.

Kael'thas shifted a little bit, trying to ignore the lust he felt building. They had just started this relationship, he wasn't going to end it because he didn't have control over his body.

He held her like that until she moved away.

"I had better get going," she said quietly.

He smiled knowingly, then bent down and pressed a light kiss to her lips. She kissed him back, then stepped out of the alcove without another word, walking leisurely to her room. Kael'thas watched her go, wanting to follow her so badly it almost hurt, and damn all the consequences. But he knew he would regret it later and so he didn't.

Kael'thas began to wait for her in that alcove everyday, always pulling her in to kiss her, then letting her go back to her room before anybody passed by and saw them. Every Sunday, they would leave Dalaran and go to some peaceful place where they could escape the secrecy.

About two months after their relationship had started, they were sitting by the lake, she laying down with her head resting in his lap, when he decided to take their relationship a bit further. He had slowly begun to realize that he wanted more than this, and that she deserved more than this. After all, he had reprimanded Arthas for the very same thing he was doing now. Shiloh deserved to be on his arm in view for everyone to see.

"It's about time that I go back to Quel'thalas. I need to see how things are going, visit my people, see my father. After all I am the prince. But I was thinking... It's really beautiful there, with the huge trees and their golden leaves. Silvermoon City is full of magic, the land itself is full of magic. It is truly an astonishing place. I think you would enjoy it there," he said, trailing off a little at the end, the unspoken question evident in his tone.

Shiloh sat up and scooted away from him a bit so she could better see his face and look into his eyes. She could see worry with a glimmer of hope glistening behind that.

"I'd love to," she said, smiling, her eyes glistening with happiness. She had been content to keep their relationship a secret for him, but this was a step in making their relationship public and she couldn't be more happy about it.

Kael'thas smiled and bent down to kiss her softly, grateful that she understood him the way she did.

They made plans to leave in two weeks, the excitement growing between them until neither one felt that they could stand it any longer. As for Shiloh, she had never been to anywhere but human cities and she longed to see a place where magic was a part of their entire races' very culture. And as for Kael'thas, he wanted to be able to show her another part of who he was, his home and his life away from Dalaran. Where he hoped that one day, they would live together.

But a small part of him also worried. What would his people think of him bringing a human to their home? Most would either shrug it off or accept it, but some of the older ones might resent it, particularly because she was not of royalty, did not have any impressive lineage, and they would see it as she had no reason to be there. They were a proud race and, admittedly, placed themselves higher than most other races. But Kael'thas did his best to push his worries away. What they thought didn't matter.

When the day finally came to leave, Kael'thas and Shiloh were up before dawn to get an early start. It was a couple days ride if they went fast enough and both wanted to get there as soon as possible. The day before, Kael'thas had spent a good fifteen minutes embroiled in an argument with Antonidas, although neither had raised their voices. Antonidas had insisted on sending guards with them, as Dalaran had a requirement to protect their students, not to mention that he was a prince. Kael'thas had argued that there was really no reason to, they could defend themselves. In the end, Kael'thas had won with the argument that aside from Antonidas himself, he was possibly the most powerful mage in the entire city and Shiloh was quite talented herself. Neither were in any need of protection. Antonidas had unwillingly conceited, knowing full well that sending guards with them would probably just result in the guards coming back in a days time with nervous expressions as they admitted to losing the two.

Although Kael'thas did prefer to travel without guards, he had mostly argued for it so that he and Shiloh could be completely alone for a few days. When he had told her that they would be travelling without guards, she had looked as happy as he was so he had taken it that he had done the right thing and not upset her.

When they left, they set a brisk pace, trying to spend as little time possible riding there and more time in the city. They were to be gone for two weeks, which was more time than Kael'thas could've hoped for. He had figured Shiloh would only allowed to be gone a week if they were lucky.

They rode without stopping until late evening, when they finally got off to let their horses rest and to take a break themselves. They took care of the horses first, then tied their reins to a tree branch and set up camp for themselves. It was chilly during the days, and even colder at night, so they set a small fire and ate a meager meal of apples and cheese. As the sun began to set, Shiloh moved closer to Kael'thas who wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap. He rested his head on her shoulder and they watched the sun slowly go down together.

Kael'thas found that he was happy, truly happy with her. In that moment, watching the sunset together with her, alone, he felt like he had never been happier before. Feeling bold, he tilted his head down and nuzzled her neck, then slowly pressed his lips against the hollow underneath her collarbone. He felt her stiffen a little but she quickly relaxed into his touch. He slowly kissed his way up her neck, and she turned her head a little so he could kiss her lips.

He felt a sensation growing within him and he forced himself to pull away from their kiss. He swallowed hard; both were slightly out of breath. He grimaced a little; after all, he had been the one to start this and it was kind of unfair for him to be the one to pull away first. And because he was worried he couldn't control himself.

She must've guessed how he felt because she smiled sweetly and pecked him on the lips one last time before quickly sliding off his lap and back onto the ground. She laid out their bedrolls next to the fire and curled up in hers. Sighing, Kael'thas went to his own bedroll, although he wasn't really that tired. But he knew that they would have to get an early start tomorrow so he decided he would at least try and sleep. They were in a relatively safe area, with few travelers, so he wasn't worried about anyone happening upon them in the middle of the night when they were both sleeping.

Neither said a word and Kael'thas contented himself with staring up at the stars in the sky. He figured he had been laying awake about half an hour when he heard rustling coming from Shiloh's bedroll. He looked over to see she had curled up into a ball and was slightly shivering, despite the small fire. He stood up and walked to her, Shiloh opening her eyes as she heard his footsteps approaching. He knelt down beside her and she seemed to grasp his meaning because she pulled back the top of the cover so he could join her.

Kael'thas wrapped her in his arms, hugging her close to his body so she would absorb his body heat as much as possible. Within a few minutes her shivering stopped and he heard her breathing slow. He carefully unwrapped an arm from around her waist and pulled her hair back out of her face before returning his arm. He watched her quietly for a few minutes, loving the look of absolute peace on her face, something that was incredibly rare for her. She was always so worried about studying and lessons... and him for that matter.

He began to feel sleepy himself as he watched her so he softly kissed her cheek then laid his head back down, the sound of her breathing lulling him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Well to anyone who's even still going to bother to read this, I am back! Honestly, that long of a break is inexcusable, and I feel awful for it. I just got really busy and kept forgetting honestly. As for the story itself, there's still a few chapters at least left to post but I will warn that I am going to end it earlier than I wanted to... My original plans would've made the story a lot longer, but I've found that I don't know how to write past the part I'm at right now. I'm just not sure where to go, if you get what I mean. In case any of you are worrying, I'm not leaving it at a really bad spot either. It'll serve as at least a decent ending until I can finally come back to this story and finish it like I want to. With all of that out of the way, before you read this chapter, I would like to say that some of the descriptions of places in this part of the story are probably wrong. I'm terribly sorry if they are, but I did my best. That being said, I hope you enjoy!**

Kael'thas woke just before dawn the next morning and found Shiloh still cradled in his arms, sound asleep. He knew he should wake her so they could pack up and leave but she just looked so peaceful. Sighing, he figured a few more minutes wouldn't hurt much and contented himself to watching the sky lighten and listening to Shiloh's steady breathing.

He was conflicted on how best to wake her up when he was saved the decision by her quiet stirring. She slowly opened her eyes, at first seeming surprised to find herself in his arms, remembrance of the night before then dawning on her face. She rolled over as best she could and laid her head back down on his chest.

"Good morning," she mumbled groggily.

"Morning," he replied, a grin playing across his lips.

Kael'thas decided that they would have to get moving sooner or later, kissed Shiloh on the top of her head, and got up from the ground to start packing up. Shiloh stayed in the bedroll, looking like she had just woken from hibernation.

Quickly getting almost everything ready to leave, he got out bread, cheese, and two apples, plopping down next to her on the ground. She sat up and took the meager food gratefully, immediately biting into the juicy apple. They ate mostly in silence; after they were done, they rolled up her bedroll and finished getting the horses ready. They mounted and continued on to Quel'Thalas.

They arrived at the edge of the large forest in the early afternoon. It would take an hour at most to get to the city, assuming they took it slow so Shiloh could take in all the sights. The magical barriers throughout the forest wouldn't prove a problem as Kael'thas was expected and everybody knew their prince.

As they entered the woods, Kael'thas looked over at Shiloh. She was staring up at the trees, her mouth hanging slightly open. He couldn't say he blamed her: it was beautiful. The trees with their white bark and golden leaves, paired with the bright sun filtering down through the branches, seemed to make the entire place glow. Small patches of flowers grew everywhere among the green swathes of grass. The whole forest seemed to emanate magic, and he closed his eyes briefly, breathing in the sweet scent of his home.

"Kael'thas, it's so beautiful," Shiloh said quietly.

"I know. Everytime I come back here, it still feels wondrous, like I've never been here before," he replied, smiling.

The rest of their journey was in silence, Shiloh spending too much of her time looking around to even start a conversation. Kael'thas split his time between enjoying the forest and watching her. In the light that would filter down through the golden trees, Shiloh looked natural among the scenery. It was almost like she belonged there. Kael'thas found it difficult at times to look away from her; she radiated beauty.

When the city came into sight, Kael'thas picked up the pace a bit and Shiloh didn't seem to mind. He slowed when they arrived at the main gate. It was huge, towering over even the trees. Two large pendants hung on either side of the large entryway, with two smaller ones on either side of the path leading into the city. There were two small circular flower beds also floating on either side of the path.

Kael'thas and Shiloh walked their horses through the large gateway, the guards saluting Kael'thas as they passed. They went right around the barrier in the middle, and walked into the city of the elves.

"Welcome, to Silvermoon City," Kael'thas murmured, and Shiloh stared in awe.

The whole place was entirely captivating, with it's tall, spiraling towers, and magical presence. Kael'thas stayed a little ahead of Shiloh now, leading her to Sunfury Spire, his home and where they would be staying for the next two weeks.

They led their horses slowly up the long ramp into the Spire. At the doorway, they dismounted and handed their reins to the guards standing duty, who both saluted respectfully. They walked inside and found Anasterian Sunstrider waiting for his son's return.

It seemed dim inside, when compared to the bright outside, but Shiloh was still able to make out her surroundings once her eyes adjusted. It was a rather simple room, with a few small tables with books on them pushed against the walls, and the throne put on a small dias at the back of the room. Stairs to her left spiraled around the inside of the wall, leading to a small platform and a doorway.

When Shiloh looked at Anasterian, it was like looking at a twin of Kael'thas. They had almost the exact same features, Anasterian's face more lined, his hair gray rather than gold, but still... It was almost uncanny. Their body's even had the same build. The only difference was their eyes. While Kael'thas had green eyes that seemed to match the grass in the forest surrounding Silvermoon, Anasterian's were the color of the sky. She assumed Kael'thas had gotten his mother's eyes, the only thing, it seemed, he had inherited from her.

Father and son greeted each other, then both turned to her. She suddenly realized that this was the first time she had ever met true royalty, and her shyness came out; she blushed a little and glanced down at the floor as Kael'thas introduced her.

"This is Shiloh; she is a mage-in-training at Dalaran. The top of her class. She graciously agreed to accompany me back home," Kael'thas said, smiling warmly at her.

Shiloh bowed low, slightly uncomfortable.

Anasterian walked forward and had her stand straight.

"Welcome to Silvermoon, Shiloh," he said in a quite, eloquent voice. "Kael'thas has spoken of you often; he seems to be quite fond of you. I do hope you'll enjoy it here. We will have dinner together tonight; for now, Kael'thas will show you to your room."

Anasterian then turned to Kael'thas. "She may stay in any room you wish, whether it be the room next to yours or your own."

Shiloh blushed at the implication, although Anasterian didn't see with his back turned to her. Kael'thas, however, noticed and gave her a small smile. Then he looked back to his father, gave a small nod, and led her up the stairs.

"And Shiloh?" Anasterian called softly; she turned and looked expectantly back at him. "You don't have to be so uncomfortable. Just pretend I'm like any other person."

The last part caught her off guard, and she managed only a small quick smile before she walked out of the room to join Kael'thas. She hadn't expected that from the King of the elves, of all people. But, she shrugged it off and decided to take his advice.

Out of sight of anybody, Kael'thas slipped his hand into hers and they walked hand-in-hand down the long hallways. The place was a lot bigger than how it seemed on the outside. After a little bit of walking, Kael'thas glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye, looking like he wanted to say something.

"It's up to you," he said. "Where you want to stay, I mean. I completely understand if you're too uncomfortable to stay in my room. Hell, you could stay in a room as far away from mine as possible, if you wanted to," he finished, looking a little uncomfortable.

Shiloh thought a little. If it really was up to her, she knew exactly where she wanted to be. But she worried about him. If a guard or anyone happened to walk in and see them in bed together... It wouldn't matter what they had or hadn't done, it would spread like wildfire throughout the entire city and kingdom. She wouldn't particularly care, but then she never had. It was Kael'thas who had wanted to keep their relationship a secret, and she had, and still did, understand that. Which was why she was so conflicted over it.

He stopped outside a door, presumably to his room, and she stopped too, waiting for him to lead her inside. Instead, he pushed her gently against the wall to the left of the door and crushed his lips to hers. His hands pressed against the wall to either side of her, barring her in. She was shocked and it took her a minute to process before she responded, kissing him back. Her hands fluttered against his chest and she wrapped her fingers in the folds of his shirt.

When he finally pulled away, they were both out of breath. He didn't move away, but stood there, his face inches from her, as they both panted.

"I love you," he said. "More than anything, or anyone else, I love you. And I don't care what anybody thinks anymore. I want the world to see. I want to parade you around with me, and show all the people in the city how much you mean to me. And I don't care what anybody will think, what anybody will say. Because I want to be with you. And I'm not gonna let anyone stop me."

Shiloh smiled at him, and tears sprung, unbidden, to her eyes. She didn't think she could ever be happier, as cheesy as it seemed even to her, than she was right now. The man she loved had just told her that he wanted to be with her and show to everyone how much he cared for her.

"Kael'thas..." she said, a tear flowing down her cheek. "I love you so much."

She wrapped her arms around his midsection and hugged him tightly, her head resting on his chest. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head lightly. When she pulled away, he wiped the tears off her face with the pads of his thumbs; he leaned down and pressed his lips gently against hers one last time before opening the door to his room and leading her inside.

It was huge; the room was actually split into two sections. The first room they entered was considerably smaller. To their right, there were two windows set in the wall, both with settings of flowers directly outside of them, leaving the room with the wonderful scent of them. Sitting in front of the windows was a couch and two chairs set around a coffee table, although considerably fancier than the ones she had grown up with.

Kael'thas led her through the folding door directly in front of them, into the bigger of the two connected rooms. To their left, pushed against the wall, was a bed. It was huge, dominating almost the entire wall, covered in oranges and yellows, matching the trees of the forest surrounding Silvermoon. To their right was another folding door, this one twice the size of the other one. Kael'thas went to it and pushed it open, revealing a balcony with a beautiful view of the city.

Kael'thas was silent as he walked out onto it and stood at the railing, looking out over Silvermoon. Shiloh couldn't help but smile; he looked genuinely content. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her head on his back. She could hear his heartbeat, slow and steady; she found it soothing. Kael'thas put his hands over hers and sighed contentedly.

"We still have a few hours before dinner. Was there anything you wanted to do?" he asked quietly.

Shiloh pulled her hands out from under his and walked around to stand next to him.

She looked out at the city with him for a moment, then shook her head slowly. "I don't care what we do, so long as I'm with you," she said. "Besides, it's your home; you know it better than I do. So what do you want to do?"

Kael'thas forced back a mischievious grin. He knew exactly what he wanted to do. But... they did only have a couple hours before they had to go to dinner, and, as much as he wanted to, he didn't want to push Shiloh into doing anything she didn't want to.

"For now, I'd rather just stay here and relax. I'll take you out and show you around tomorrow," he promised. He hadn't looked at her as he said it, but he thought he saw disappointment pass briefly over her face, but it was gone so quickly he couldn't be sure.

Without saying anything, he turned quickly and scooped her up into his arms, walking back into the room and sliding the door closed behind him as he did so. Surprised, Shiloh clung to him, one arm wrapped around his neck ,the other gripping the front of his shirt tightly.

When she realized he had only picked her up, she relaxed her grip and let him carry her. He set her down on the bed, then climbed next to her on it, pulling her into his lap again.

Surprising him, Shiloh stretched up and pressed her lips against his, one hand coming around to tangle in his hair. He kissed her back, pulling her closer to him. He groaned, trying desperately to keep control of himself. She must've sensed his struggle, because she stopped and slid off his lap like she had before. He frowned at the loss of contact. Oh yes, he was sure he would make up for these times one day.

Shiloh rested her head on his shoulder, and he twined his hand with hers.

"Kael'thas?" Shiloh said after a while, so quietly he could barely hear her.

"What?" he asked, twisting his head to look down at her.

"Is... is this really gonna work?" she asked, still whispering, a hint of fear and nervousness in her voice.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Our relationship. Is it actually something that's going to last, or is it just going to be some small stint for you? Something that we'll both look back on in ten years and wonder why we even bothered?" Shiloh lifted her head from his shoulder and moved a little farther away from him; Kael'thas was shocked to see that she had tears in her eyes.

He was confused at first. He had thought that he had made that clear earlier, with his small speech. But he realized that that hadn't been enough reassurance for her. Yes, he had said how much he loved her and how he wanted to show everybody now. But that didn't mean anything about how he would feel even a year from now. She was looking for reassurance that 10 years from now, they would still be together and he would still love her. And he realized that he needed that too; the last thing he wanted was another heart break like Jaina had been. He didn't want to put his whole heart into this relationship and then have it ripped out when it didn't work. But he didn't intend for that to happen... No, he would do everything in is power to be with her until one of them died.

"Shiloh..." he said quietly, unsure of how to make it better. He had spilled his whole heart to her earlier. How could he assure her now that it would mean something later? Even the elves couldn't see the future.

"Kael'thas, I know you love me. I don't need you to tell me that, you said so earlier. And I know that what you said earlier means a lot to you, and it means a lot to me too. I love being with you, I love how happy I feel you when I'm around you, I love you. But... being here, in this city, it just makes me think about the future. Elves are immortal. Humans are not; I'm not. I will die someday Kael'thas. And I hope that when that happens, you can find it in yourself to get over me and find someone else to love. Because I don't want you to spend the rest of your life miserable and depressed over me. But I also don't want to be in this relationship if it means that even a few years from now, the realization that I'm going to die hits you and you decide to end it sooner rather than later... rather than waiting until I die. I already don't want to lose you... a few years from now, that would destroy me. A few years is a long time for me, a long time for me to fall for you even more than I already have now; but to you it's only the blink of an eye. In that time, you could feel the same way for me as you do now, and it won't hurt as much for you as it would for me. I... I just... I can't do that Kael'thas. I can't. So if, one day, you're going to leave me because you don't think you'll be able to handle it when I die, and you choose to end it, then make that day today. Because I'd rather be hurt now than years down the road. So, please Kael'thas, please tell me," Shiloh finished, the tears finally spilling over.

Kael'thas sat, his mouth slightly open. He had never thought of it that way. He had been so wrapped up in the present, in loving her as much as he could now, that he hadn't even thought about what the future would hold. She was right: she would die someday, and he would be left behind. Even thinking about her death made his heart ache a little. He didn't want to see her die, watch her as the life slowly drained from her body. He couldn't do that, it would destroy him. But then... that would mean that he would have to leave her now, and he wasn't so sure that it would hurt any less. At least... when she died... at least that would mean that he had a lifetime to spend with her, a lifetime to love her. If he left now, it would be over and there would be no going back, he would never have that time with her. He realized that he would rather spend a lifetime with her and be hurt at the end, than leave her now and never get that chance. And, just like that, his decision had been made.

"Shiloh, I do love you. And you're right, it will hurt when you die. It will be by far the most painful thing I will have ever experienced," he paused, and saw a flicker of fear and pain cross her beautiful features, then rushed to continue his explanation. "But it's worth it. It is more than worth it to me. Because I would rather spend a lifetime with you and end up getting hurt at the end than spend my entire life regretting that decision not to. When I said that I want to be with you, I meant it, and I want to spend my entire life with you. I know that someday you will die, but I won't let that change what we have, what we will have for many years," Kael'thas finished.

Shiloh felt her tears fall even faster now. Now she had her reassurance, now she knew that he would always be there. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest, a weight that she hadn't even realized had been there since they arrived.

Kael'thas slowly reached out and tenderly wiped the tears from off her cheeks again, his fingers catching the new ones as they fell. Then he slid his hands down behind her back and held her close to him as she wrapped her arms around him, and cried into his shirt.


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back guys, and school is over! With that being said, I'll actually be able to post new chapters when I want to, and not just when I happen to remember to. Not really much of an eventful chapter, but I'll make up for it later, I promise. I hope at least some of you guys will still read this, and thank you if you do! I'll be back in a few days, and with that, have fun reading!**

Shiloh continued to cry for a while and when she eventually stopped, neither one moved, content to lay next to each other in silence. Eventually, Kael'thas gently lifted her head off his chest to look into her eyes.

"We have to go to dinner now," he said. Then he smirked and added "Before they start to wonder what we're doing up here."

Shiloh couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Come on, let's get changed," he said.

He went over to small door tucked into a corner and opened it, revealing a walk in closet filled with bright reds and oranges, mostly the traditional robes of the elves. Near the end were lighter, more natural colored, tunics and pants, made for riding. He reached in deeper, and pulled out a dress that looked about her size.

He walked back over to the bed and handed it to her.

"I had my closet stocked with some clothes for you," Kael'thas said.

Shiloh smiled and took it from him, admiring the silky fabric.

"Thank you," she said, getting up to change into it.

Kael'thas leaned against the wall and smiled wryly at her, a challenging look in his eyes. Shiloh felt her cheeks redden a little.

"No free shows," she said lightly, gesturing with her hands for him to turn around.

He smirked a little and complied. But even as she turned and stripped, he couldn't resist a small peek back. He was almost stunned by the sight; was there any part of her that wasn't absolutely gorgeous?

She happened to glance back over her shoulder to make sure he wasn't looking at that precise moment though, and blushed a deep shade of crimson.

"Don't look!" she commanded.

This time Kael'thas turned around and stayed that way until he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Then he turned and was again stunned by her beauty. The dress was absolutely stunning on her, accentuating her curves and showing just enough cleavage without showing too much; the colors made her seem as if she was glowing, and she truly looked like she belonged in them.

She must've noticed that he was staring because she said, somewhat defensively, "What?"

"Nothing, it's just... you look beautiful," he said, somewhat startled.

"Oh," she said, looking down at her feet, still unsure of herself.

"Hey," he said, lifting her chin with a finger, "I mean it. You're stunning, and don't ever think you're not."

She smiled at him again and gestured towards the closet.

"Your turn."

He grabbed out one of the many robes and then stripped without another word. Unlike her, he seemed to have no shame at all as he pulled off his tunic and pants, never once turning his back to her.

She had to admit, it wasn't an unpleasant sight; admiring him, she found she was happy that he hadn't turned around. While he certainly was not built like a warrior, he was still fit. His entire upper half was well defined, with a faint outline of his ab muscles and not a sight of fat on him. As he began to slide his pants down, she watched the muscles in his arms ripple. She found herself somewhat shocked; she hadn't realized until now just how fit the elf prince was. Shiloh made a vain attempt at keeping her eyes up, but couldn't stop herself from glancing down every once in a while, despite the fact that certain... parts were still covered.

Kael'thas noticed her eyes running over his body, and then watched in amusement as she tried to keep her eyes from wandering down, noting her failure as she glanced down a few times. He couldn't help but grin at the slight look of shock on her face; he imagined she had never actually seen a naked man before and it was more than close enough to make her uncomfortable.

Deciding not to prolong her suffering, he slid his robes over his head quickly, and watched as her eyes darted back up his covered form to look him in the eyes. She blushed again, and he chuckled lightly, suppressing a sarcastic comment; she was uncomfortable enough, he didn't need to exacerbate it.

He took her hand in his and led her out into the hallways again, leading towards the dining hall. Maybe it was just her, but Shiloh felt as if the walk was taking forever. Finally, they arrived outside the doors to the hall. Releasing her hand, Kael'thas pushed open one of the doors and beckoned her inside, closing the door behind him. When he turned around to face the room, he was shocked to see that the only one there was his father. He had expected some large entourage to also be there, important people present only for formality. He strode over to the long table, and watched in amusement as Shiloh followed more slowly, examining the room around her.

It was a rather extraordinary room, or at least by human standards. It had a tall ceiling, and was large and spacious. Rather than the bright oranges and reds of everywhere else, it was adorned in deep shades of purple, creating a soothing atmosphere. The table cloth itself was even purple, with deep orange trim on it. Both Kael'thas and Shiloh sat, Kael'thas to the right of his father at the head of the table, and Shiloh to the left. The chairs were padded and comfortable.

Anasterian smiled warmly at them, then turned to Shiloh, his blue eyes sparkling.

"So how are you enjoying our city?" he asked.

"Well I haven't seen a lot, but from what I have seen, it's beautiful," Shiloh replied honestly.

"She was quite taken by the Eversong Woods," Kael'thas said, grinning at her.

"It is a beautiful place," Anasterian said.

Shiloh nodded.

"Kael'thas tells me you're a mage in training, and quite a talented one from what I've heard," Anasterian continued.

"Yes, I'm the top of my class. I work hard for it, though," Shiloh said.

"I'm sure you do. But if Kael'thas praises you as highly as he does, then I'm sure you're giving yourself less credit than you deserve," he said, a grin pulling up the corner of his mouth.

Shiloh smiled, and with that Anasterian turned to his son, and stayed like that for most of the rest of dinner, which was a light fare, not nearly quite as hearty as human food, but still delicious. Shiloh didn't pay close attention to all that was being said, but listened enough to know what was going on. Kael'thas first told Anasterian all that had happened in Dalaran since he had gone back, and then Anasterian told Kael'thas all that had happened in Quel'Thalas since last he had been home. She assumed they already knew most of what they told each other through letters, but were simply talking out of habit. And she didn't mind; it gave her a chance to relax. Although, she did spend most of that time watching Kael'thas; she enjoyed seeing him like this, in his home. It was like seeing another part of him, although he was still the same man at his core.

When dinner had finished, and father and son finished talking as well, Anasterian stood, Kael'thas and Shiloh doing the same.

"Well, I will be off to my study. Good night, young ones," Anasterian said, dismissing them.

Kael'thas and Shiloh replied with "good nights", then left the dining hall. The door closed behind them, and Kael'thas again took Shiloh's hand in his. She glanced down at their hands, then looked up at Kael'thas.

"Not that I particularly care, but are you hiding our relationship from your father, or do you not really care whether he knows or not?"

Kael'thas sighed. "I would prefer to keep it a secret from him for now, at least for a few days, although I'm sure he already knows."

"What makes you so sure?"

He chuckled. "We're too much alike, I'm sure that's part of it. But he knows me. Ever since I was a boy he was always able to tell when I was infatuated with someone, and this is a bit more than just a crush. At the very least, he knows I have feelings for you. I couldn't say whether he knows if you return those feelings."

They walked in silence the rest of the way back to his room, and when they stepped inside the doorway and closed the door behind them, Kael'thas again lifted her up into his arms. Shiloh, caught off guard again, clutched at his robes before relaxing her grip. He carried her through the first room into his bedroom, and set her down on the edge of the bed facing the closet.

He dug around in the back again and pulled out a pair of comfy looking silk pants and a tunic, and tossed them at her.

"They're mine, but I figure you might like them better than the dressing gowns they left for you," he said before turning back and digging around some more.

Shiloh looked skeptically at the clothes in her arms. The shirt would work, but the pants... Even as skinny as Kael'thas was, she was sure they would still be too big for her.

When she looked back up, Kael'thas had already slipped out of his robes and was wearing just the pants he had worn underneath them. He walked around her and plopped down on the bed, facing away from her.

She took this as a sign for her to get changed, and stood, tugging off the dress. He was right: she had always harbored a special hatred for dresses or night gowns, or anything that she deemed to be too girly.

She slipped the shirt on, then pulled the pants on. As she let go, they immediately slid to the floor. Sighing, she shook her head and stepped out of them, walking around to the other side of the bed to join Kael'thas.

He raised an eyebrow upon seeing her.

"Deciding against pants today, are we?"

"They don't fit," Shiloh said, sitting cross-legged on the bed in front of him.

"Well... I can't say that I'm complaining," Kael'thas replied, a mischievious smirk stretching across his face as he propped himself up on one elbow.

Shiloh looked down at the bedding, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under his admiring gaze. He reached out his other hand and tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes.

"Hey... you're beautiful. And I wouldn't do anything that you don't want me to," he said softly.

Shiloh nodded. "I know, it's just... I've never been in this kind of situation before. I mean... I've dated a few guys but nothing really serious..." she trailed off, glancing down, looking for all the world like she wanted to be anywhere else, having any other conversation.

Kael'thas chuckled a little, and Shiloh looked up, startled. Of all the reactions she could've imagined, laughter was probably the last on that list.

"What?" she asked, suddenly defensive, moving away from his touch.

"Nothing," he said shaking his head, his laughter dying out. "It's just... you looked so... innocent. I thought it was rather endearing."

"So... you laughed?" Shiloh said, skeptical. She had never seen him this playful before.

"I don't know. It was just something about the way you said it, the look on your face. You looked so innocent and unsure of yourself. I'm not laughing at you, I promise," Kael'thas said, still smiling at her.

Shiloh shook her head; she couldn't stay mad at him. Besides, she knew he hadn't meant any harm by laughing. Hell, she couldn't say she wouldn't have done the same in his shoes. She probably had looked funny. And his laugh... She shook her head again to clear it. But she did have one question for him.

"What about you?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, his head tilting to one side curiously.

"Have you ever...?" Shiloh asked, trailing off.

"I figured that would come up," he said, sighing, rolling over to lay on his back. He stared up at the ceiling for a while, looking like he was deep in thought, before he turned his head to look at her, a hint of a smile again playing on his lips.

"I would be lying if I said I hadn't. But in my defense, I am considerably older than you. Several hundred years older. Although if it's any comfort, the number of women I have been with is considerably short, especially considering that I am a prince. Under ten, I'll tell you that much. And I remember every single one, every single time; it's not something I treat lightly," Kael'thas said, a serious look on his face.

"I wasn't worried about it, I was just curious. I trust you," Shiloh said.

"I'm glad. It means a lot to me," Kael'thas said quietly.

Shiloh laid down next to him, and Kael'thas wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. He kissed her gently on the lips, then gave her a longer, deeper kiss. When he pulled away, she smiled at him and flipped around so her back was facing him. He pulled her even closer so their bodies were touching and pulled the covers over them.

She could feel the heat of his naked chest seeping through her shirt to warm her. She closed her eyes and listened to his breathing, heard it slow when he fell asleep, and the steadyness of it eventually lulled her to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Here I am again! Okay this chapter is two things: short and cheesy. But that's okay because it's a fanfiction, and they're supposed to be kind of cheesy. I hope you guys like it, and I'll be back again soon!**

Kael'thas was the first to wake the next morning. He figured it to be somewhere around late morning judging by the way the light was filtering in through the closed folding door. He looked down at his still sleeping beloved. Somewhere during the night, their legs had become entangled, although he had no inclination to untangle them. Rather than disturb her, he simply laid his head back down and listened to her breathing.

It hadn't been long when Kael'thas heard the tell-tale hitch in her breathing that said that she had woken up. She yawned and looked around sleepily, then turned around in his arms to face him.

"Good morning," Kael'thas greeted her.

"Morning," Shiloh mumbled in reply, looking as if she was still half asleep.

He grinned at her. "Well you can't be sleepy all day, you know. We have things to do, places to see. I told you I would show you around the city didn't I? And I know exactly where I'm going to take you. By the time I'm done with you, you'll know this city as well as I do."

Kael'thas hadn't been kidding. He had only allowed her to lay in bed for a few more minutes before he forced her to get up and dressed. And from there, he didn't let her stop moving.

He took her all around the city, visiting all his favorite places, seeing all his favorite childhood hiding spots. Everything in Silvermoon that had even a tiny amount of meaning to him, he then showed to Shiloh. Story after story he told her, it started to seem to her like everything in that city had a story for him to tell.

And then the people. She met more people than she thought she had met on her first day in Dalaran. Here was his best friend since childhood, here a guardsman who he had grown up with, here his favorite person to go to for buying cloth.

By the time they had gotten through all of the city and talked to all of the people, it was already close to sunset.

"Do you want to see my favorite place?" Kael'thas asked her, a glint in his eye.

Shiloh smiled. As exhausted and overloaded with information as she already was, she couldn't deny him, and especially not with how excited he looked for this next place.

"Sure," she said, smiling.

With that, he took her hand and teleported them to the top of a building. Of all the places she could've imagined him taking her, this one had certainly caught her off guard. When she got her bearings and realized just how high up they were, she stumbled a little, and Kael'thas caught her.

"You okay?" he asked her, a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just caught me off guard is all," she replied, standing up on her own and looking around.

They appeared to be on one of the flat parts of Sunfury Spire, high above the city.

"I used to come here all the time. Still do, when I'm home," he said, looking out over the city and surrounding landscape. "It's peaceful; there's no people or servants trying to attend to me, nothing to make me feel like I'm a prince. And it's nice. Just to escape it for a little bit. To be by myself."

Shiloh nodded. "I understand. I always preferred being alone myself. To me, there's just something about it. No expectations for you to fulfill; you can be yourself and you don't have to worry about it."

Kael'thas looked at her, and she saw in his eyes something she had never seen before. It was a passion, a love so deep, it was almost unfathomable to her. What had she ever done to earn that much love?

"You're right. But I also feel that way around you. You are the only person I've met that I can truly be myself around and I don't have to worry about it. Because I know you'll accept me; I know you'll love me and be there for me no matter what," Kael'thas said, then paused, a furrow forming between his eyebrows. "I've never felt this way with anyone before. What have you done to me?" he finished quietly.

"I don't know, Kael'thas. But I feel the same way. And it scares me as much as it scares you. It's new, it's different. And that's what makes it so scary. It's such a strong feeling... I would gladly risk my life for you. I would've never even considered that with any guy I was with before," Shiloh said.

Kael'thas shook his head and smiled at her. Then he sat down, pulling her down with him. She moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her tighter.

"You know, I thought we were done with all of this. With these revelations and new feelings, and fear. I thought from now on, we could just be together, and things would go smoothly," Kael'thas said.

"I don't think they ever will, Kael'thas. Relationships change, they expand and grow. There will always be new feelings appearing, and eventually they're going to come to light. We haven't been together for that long so all these new feelings, we can't just ignore them like older couples can. They're so foreign to us that we have to tell the other person or else it just doesn't feel right. And I think it will always be that way. We will always have these moments when we have to tell each other exactly how we feel, and I think it's just a part of being in a relationship," Shiloh said.

"Are you so sure you haven't done this before?" Kael'thas asked her.

"No I'm pretty positive," Shiloh laughed.

"If you say so."


	8. Chapter 8

**I know it's been a while guys, I really did mean to update sooner but I've been procrastinating a lot on this one. It definitely earned it's M rating. If you don't like smut, then I apologize in advance. This is also my first time writing anything like this and... well yeah. I spent most of the time writing it almost crying. It was a bad time. So I will take any constructive criticism you guys have for me! Hope you all enjoy!**

The next few days went similarly to the first one, Kael'thas showing Shiloh his home, this time showing her around Eversong Woods. By the end of the first week, Shiloh probably knew as much about Silvermoon and Eversong as most of the elves did. But she enjoyed it nonetheless. She had always found it interesting to learn about new places, and even more so now that she could actually be there as she was learning about it.

Shiloh was only half listening to the conversation happening during dinner. It had, surprisingly enough, been a rather short day when compared to the others. They had gone to dinner at the usual time with Anasterian, and Kael'thas had promised to take her out for a little bit afterwards so she could see the woods during sunset.

It seemed an eternity before they finished dinner. Kael'thas and Shiloh stood and began to walk out.

"Kael'thas?" Anasterian called from behind them.

Kael'thas stopped and turned back to his father expectantly. Shiloh glanced back before walking out the door to leave the two alone and wait for Kael'thas.

"Is there something you needed to talk to me about?" Kael'thas asked his father.

Anasterian smiled warmly at his son, a knowing smile. "You care for her as more than just a friend."

A statement rather than a question. So he had guessed right and Anasterian had known his feelings for her. Kael'thas nodded.

"And does she return your feelings?"

Kael'thas paused, considered, then nodded. No point in lying now.

"Good. Then, yes, I did want to talk to you about something," Anasterian stated, then paused, waiting to see Kael'thas' reaction.

Kael'thas kept his face relatively neutral, although he was quite curious to hear what his father had to say. He just hoped it wasn't anything to warn him against a serious relationship with her.

"You never know what you have until it's gone. It seems like a simple statement, one well known and oft quoted. But I don't think anybody ever really truly understands it until they've lived it. A loved one is probably the worst thing to lose. When your mother died... it was like I lost a part of me. And I believe I did. That part of me that existed solely for her died the minute she left this world. I always thought about all the things I could've done, all the ways I could've shown her just how much I loved her and just how much she meant to me. I still think about that even all these years later. How many times did I miss a chance to tell her I loved her? I'll never know; it's probably too many times to count. But time doesn't make it hurt any less. The lesson I've learned is that you can't ever take anything for granted. When you think you have years, you may only have days. And it's your job to take advantage of whatever time you do have. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you? What I'm trying to teach you?"

"I think so," Kael'thas said, somewhat shocked at his father's words. He had never heard him speak like this before.

"Do everything you can to show that woman how much you love her. Because you could only have days or weeks. And know that I respect your choices. Whatever you choose is your decision and yours alone. So do what you have to do. But protect the ones you love," Anasterian finished. "Now go out there, and spend this time with her."

Kael'thas nodded. "Thank you," he said before almost running out of the dining hall to catch up to Shiloh.

"What was that all about?" she asked as they began walking toward the door leading out to the city.

"Nothing," he replied, shaking his head.

Shiloh didn't push him; she knew he would never tell her anyway.

"I want to take you somewhere," he said suddenly.

"Okay," she said, giving him a strange look. He was acting weird.

Then he grabbed her hand and teleported them to some part of Eversong Woods.

"This way," Kael'thas said to her, tugging lightly at her hand.

She complied and followed him through some brush. He seemed to be following a path known only to him. It was longer than she had expected to have to walk, and it was also completely unmarked so she had to do her best not to trip over anything.

Finally, he pushed aside some branches, and the two walked into a clearing. Shiloh stopped and stared at the sight.

Across from them was a small waterfall, dumping it's contents into a pool about three times as wide as Kael'thas was tall. The grass surrounding it was dotted with tiny flowers, and the whole clearing was blocked in by trees on all sides. Unless you already knew it was here, it would be almost impossible to find it.

"Of all the places I've discovered in Eversong, this is by far my most treasured," Kael'thas said.

"It's beautiful," Shiloh said, watching the clear water splash into the pool.

"I don't know," he said. "I think there's someone here who is even more beautiful than this place."

Shiloh blushed.

"Come on," Kael'thas said, nudging her, "Let's go for a swim."

"But I don't have any clothes to swim in," Shiloh said, not particularly liking the idea of having to wear wet clothes back.

"Who ever said you need clothes to swim?"

Shiloh stared at him for a moment, unsure of whether he was kidding or not. But he was already stripping off his clothing. Wearing only undergarments, he slid into the pool, walking in until he was neck deep in the pristine water.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," he called gently.

She nodded, but began to strip anyways. She was beginning to realize that she actually did want to.

Free of her shirt and pants, she thought Kael'thas' eyes would bulge out of his skull. Unlike the other night, she hadn't had him turn around, so he had gotten the full show. If he was acting like this now, she wondered what he would do when she was completely naked.

Shiloh waded into the pool after him. Apparently having used all of his self control to not jump her while she was stripping, he reached out and clutched her to him the moment she was within reach, crushing his lips to hers.

Shiloh kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him closer to her. He obliged, deepening their kiss. Shiloh gasped a little; it felt like there was fire between them, and she didn't particularly dislike the feeling.

One of Kael'thas' hands drifted down her side, trailing along her leg; he wrapped his hand around her thigh and tugged it up to wrap around his waist. Shiloh wrapped her other leg around him, and heard him groan quietly into her mouth. She had to admit, she enjoyed this feeling; he was completely in her control.

He pressed his body closer to hers and she gasped at the feel of something hard pressing against her. She blushed as she slowly realized through the haze in her brain what it was. She hesitated for only a brief moment then continued to kiss him passionately. Kael'thas moved away from her mouth, pressing open mouthed kisses along her jaw and down her throat to nip at her collarbone. She gasped, her fingers tangling in the hair at the back of his neck. He slowly kissed his way back up to her lips on the other side, pausing to nip at her earlobe before pressing a strangely gentle kiss on her lips.

"This won't go any farther than you want it to," Kael'thas whispered against her lips, his voice hoarse with need.

In response, she moved away a little and stripped off what remained of her clothing, throwing the garments somewhere in the distance, and pressed her body against his again. He gasped and forced himself to regain control of his body; no one had ever made him lose control like this before. Urgently, Shiloh began to kiss him, running her hands over his chest and abdomen.

When she began to reach to pull off his remaining clothes as well, he grabbed her hands and stopped them.

"Not here," he said.

"Why not?" she gasped.

"Well for starters, anybody could walk up and see us."

"And you choose now, after we're mostly naked, to bring this point up?"

"I had other, more pressing matters on my mind at the time," he replied, his eyes running along the parts of her body he could see, although the water was high enough to hide anything of interest.

"I could care less. I am not walking all the way back to Silvermoon," she said.

"Who said anything about walking?" he replied smugly, and in the next second they were in his room, laying on his bed facing each other, their clothes in a pile on the floor.

Shiloh felt suddenly self-conscious, realizing that nothing was hidden from him now; she automatically brought her arms up to shield herself from his smoldering gaze.

"Don't," Kael'thas said quietly, gently pulling her arms away, "You're so beautiful."

Shiloh felt a blush creep up on her cheeks, but didn't try to cover herself again.

Kael'thas reached up and slowly ran his fingers over her body, following every curve. Then he moved closer and began kissing her again, slowly at first but with growing passion, his hands continuing to explore her body.

When Shiloh reached to pull off his remaining clothes again, he made no move to stop her, and shuddered as her fingers trailed along his skin.

Shiloh tried to keep from looking at him naked, but failed anyway; her eyes roamed his body appreciatively. Curious, she reached down and stroked his length; he gasped at her touch, and let out a low moan of approval. When she moved closer to him, he forced himself to reach down and stop her hand, bringing it up between them.

"Are you sure?" he whispered, his eyes never wavering from hers.

"So sure," she whispered back.

Kael'thas moved his body over hers; he slipped one finger inside her and began sliding it in and out at a steady rhythm. Shiloh shuddered beneath him, moaning quietly. Suddenly, he pulled his finger out, and she whimpered quietly, not wanting him to stop. Then she felt something pushing at her entrance and she froze, the full impact of what they were doing hitting her; she was a virgin, truly giving everything to this man, this elf.

Kael'thas must've seen the hesitation in her face, because he stopped and tapped her nose lightly. "You okay?" he asked, worry in his expression.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I just..." she trailed off as he moved to lay down next to her.

"Shhh, it's okay," he whispered, lightly trailing his fingers along her body soothingly.

He bent to kiss her again, making no move to take it any further until she was ready; she felt a wave of love and appreciation for Kael'thas, and the realization hit her that she wanted to give him everything. She kissed him harder, her hands moving behind his neck to pull him down on her. He could sense the need in her, all the hesitation gone, and again moved his body on top of hers.

This time when he moved to enter her, she wrapped her legs around him, giving him better access. He slowly pushed inside her, and she felt her body stretch to accommodate him. She moaned, encouraging him to push further with each thrust until he came up against a barrier; she felt a slight twinge of pain and winced a little.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked, cupping her face with both hands and gazing into her eyes worriedly.

"Just a little, but I'm okay," she reassured.

He stayed where he was, his eyes full of pain as if he was the one being hurt.

"Hey, it's okay. Make love to me, Kael'thas," she whispered, and kissed him longingly on the mouth.

He kissed her back, then moved to her neck, nipping gently at the sensitive skin as he resumed his previous pace, going deeper each time.

The moment of pain was quickly overshadowed by the growing ecstasy he was causing her. Following her instincts, Shiloh began moving her hips in time with his thrusts. He began moving faster, and she could feel her body building towards climax.

She cried out as unbelievable amounts of pleasure washed through her body, and felt Kael'thas stop moving inside her, his body shuddering against hers before he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily. She smiled lovingly and stroked his hair and back. After catching his breath, he rolled to the side of her and pulled her against him. She rested her head on his chest and ran her fingers lightly over his abdomen.

As she was falling asleep, she felt him kiss the top of her head and whisper "I love you, Shiloh."

She thought to answer him, but was too tired and gave in to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh my god, I'm back guys! So I found inspiration to continue this story in the reviews and follows- thank you guys so so much, it means more than I can tell you. Anyway, I just started thinking about this fic more and more, trying to make the ideas I had in my head fit together and connect to where the story was. And it just hit me and I have now finished this fic! Only one more chapter to post after this, and then it is goodbye to our beloved Kael'thas and Shiloh.**

 **About this chapter in particular, a few notes I would like to make. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I honestly have no idea what kind of person Anasterian was, although I don't think his personality was ever a big part in anything, but if I am nowhere near the mark then I am deeply sorry, I've been really trying to be accurate. Also, I don't know if you're gonna feel that this chapter seems a bit rushed at the end, I tried my best but I just don't like writing Anasterian all that much. I struggle with it because I try not to define his personality too much, simply because he is not my character and so I feel that it is not my right to define him. That probably doesn't make sense, but yeah. That's my reasoning.**

 **I feel the need to also mention that it is currently 4:00 in the morning as I'm writing this and I find this whole thing very exciting and I'm just super pumped. But it's okay because I hope you feel it too! Enjoy and prepare for more soon!**

Shiloh woke slowly, blinking a few times at the bright light filling the room. It took her a second to remember the night before, and she smiled at the memory. She looked to her left where Kael'thas was curled up on his side, one arm draped over her, still asleep.

She quietly turned to face him, careful not to disturb him, watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful, something she rarely saw in him when he was awake; he was always worrying about something or other. She reached a hand up and gently stroked his cheek, then continued tracing his elven features.

After a few minutes she heard his breathing hitch and moved her hand back to the space between them. He slowly opened his eyes, and smiled when he saw her watching him; he moved his hand up to brush a strand of hair out of her face. Then he moved his head down and pressed his lips gently against hers.

She kissed him back then whispered, "I love you," her breath ghosting across his lips.

"I know," he said, smirking as he pulled his head back to look at her.

"Oh, trying to play it cool?" she said teasingly.

He smirked mischieviously at her.

Without another word, Shiloh moved forward and crushed her lips to his, pressing her body against his; she was pleased to feel his reaction to their kiss.

She pulled away from the kiss long enough to say "How cool do you feel now?" before he started kissing her again, rolling them so he was on top of her.

After, they sat in silence for a few minutes before Kael'thas moved to get up.

"Got to get ready for the day," he said when Shiloh looked at him questioningly.

"Do we have to?" she asked innocently, pouting a little.

"Well, if you want to explain to my father that the reason we haven't left our room today is because we're too busy having sex, you are more than welcome to," he said, grinning at her as he pulled on a pair of trousers and a robe.

She blushed at the thought and sighed; pulling the covers aside, she got up and walked to the closet. Digging around a bit, she found a pastel orange dress and slipped it on over undergarments.

Ready for the day, she turned back to Kael'thas but made no move to leave when she saw the look softening his features. It was one full of love, different from the loving but lustful look he had given her the day before; it was one she couldn't quite describe but understood completely.

Then he stepped forward and simply wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him as if he was afraid she might slip through his arms.

"I love you. I love you, Shiloh," he said quietly, his chin resting lightly on top of her head.

"I love you too, Kael'thas. I always will," she whispered back.

After a few more seconds, he pulled away and smirked playfully.

"Shall we?" he said, making a grand gesture toward the door.

"We shall," Shiloh replied, matching his smile.

Slipping her hand into his, they left their bedroom but were stopped by a guard who ran up to them only seconds after they closed the door behind them.

"Prince Kael'thas, Lady Shiloh," he said, hastily saluting them. "I was instructed by King Anasterian to fetch you. He says it is very urgent."

"Alright, thank you," Kael'thas said, waving the guard off.

"What do you think is going on?" Shiloh asked, worry creasing her brow.

"I don't know," Kael'thas replied. "But I'm sure it isn't anything unmanageable," he added at seeing her expression, lightly squeezing her hand.

She nodded and they continued down the hallway, Kael'thas leading them through the long hallways to his father's office. Shiloh was quiet, trying to ignore the dread slowly building in her gut; she couldn't explain it, but she felt as if something horrible was about to happen.

When they finally walked through the elaborate doors to Anasterian's office, the feeling of dread intensified at the grim expression on the ancient elf's face. She felt the grip on her hand tighten.

"What's happened?" Kael'thas asked without preamble.

"Archmage Antonidas has requested that Shiloh return immediately," Anasterian paused, looking almost reluctant to continue. "Arthas has attacked Lordaeron, destroying it and murdering his father. Antonidas wishes for all mages associated with Dalaran to return, with the exception of you, Kael'thas. You may stay if you wish."

"I will go with Shiloh," Kael'thas said shortly, and Shiloh could see how unsettled he was by this announcement, the way his entire body seemed to tense up. She couldn't blame him; she felt just as sickened.

Anasterian nodded. "I expected nothing less."

He stepped aside, revealing a portal through which glimpses of Dalaran could be seen. Then he looked at Shiloh, and his expression lightened for a moment.

"Goodbye Shiloh. I am glad that you have brought such joy to my son. I do not know when I will see you again, if ever, but I wish you luck in your future endeavors. Good luck," Anasterian said and bowed slightly before Shiloh, his expression again darkening at his last words.

Shiloh stood for a second, stunned, before bowing back and thanking him. She looked to Kael'thas, who simply nodded at the portal and gestured for her to go through. With one last glance at Anasterian and the room they stood in, she stepped through and vanished. As Kael'thas moved to follow, Anasterian put a hand out and stopped him.

"Be careful, my son. If Arthas was able to destroy Lordaeron as easily as they said he did, then Dalaran is no safer, and it may be there that he chooses to attack next. Be wary, and take care of Shiloh; she is strong and powerful but you have years of experience. I fear she may need protecting in the days to come. Goodbye Kael'thas," Anasterian said, and for a second Kael'thas saw the years on his father's normally ageless face.

"I will always protect her. Goodbye father," Kael'thas said simply, resting a hand lightly on Anasterian's shoulder before going through the portal himself.

Now in Dalaran, Shiloh took his hand and they began walking to Antonidas' office. But even in the sunny and bright streets of Dalaran, Kael'thas couldn't rid himself of the feeling that the worst had not happened yet. And that he may never see his father again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Well, it's finally the end! I've had an amazing time writing and publishing this, and I hope you guys have had an amazing time reading it. Thank you to all of you who took the time to read this, and especially those who reviewed, you kept me determined to finish this. I can't express how grateful I am that there were people who actually wanted to read this, it has inspired me to continue writing in other fandoms and to start working on some of my own ideas again. I hope you guys think this is a fitting end to this story, and I wish you happy hunting in finding many more great stories!**

After visiting Antonidas, and receiving the same brief explanations Anasterian had given, Kael'thas and Shiloh went to Kael'thas' room. It was much more elaborate and at least twice as big as Shiloh's.

Shiloh flopped down on the bed, laying on her side; she felt as Kael'thas joined her on the bed, curling his body around hers. He draped his arm across her, and she softly traced the lines of his hand. She found it comforting, something to distract her from the cacophony of her thoughts. Kael'thas sighed contentedly and pressed closer to her.

After a few silent minutes, Shiloh decided to voice the question that she had wanted to ask since they had left Quel'thalas.

"Why did you come with me?" she asked quietly.

He was silent for a pause before he answered. "Because I love you and I want to be with you. I-"  
"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, I know why you want to be with me generally, but this is an entirely different situation than normal. We don't know where Arthas could attack next and I thought that you would want to be with your people. And your father."

She hadn't said it, but Kael'thas understood her unvoiced concern that nothing was known of Arthas' plans and Quel'thalas could even be attacked next. Kael'thas sighed, searching for words. "Shiloh, I... I do want to be with my people and stand by my father's side. But you are more important to me. That may seem selfish to say, but it is true. I value your safety above anyone else's for the very simple reason that I am in love with you, and without you I would be incapable of defending my people or being an effective leader. I would be useless to them, so by staying with you and making sure nothing ever happens to you, I also ensure that I will be able to defend them when the time comes. I will always be by your side," Kael'thas said at last, placing a light kiss against her temple.

Shiloh turned around in his arms to face him and tilted her head up to press her lips against his.

"And I will always be by yours," she whispered against his lips.

Several days went by uneventfully and the tension that had been so prominent in Dalaran when they had first arrived had lessened somewhat. The fear of imminent attack had slowly receded as the days went by and nothing out of the ordinary happened, although Shiloh still worried and she knew Kael'thas did the same. Confined to the city, the two had spent their time exploring the streets and hidden places within it.

Their favorite was a small garden, the only entrance to it a narrow passage that was only likely to be seen by those who knew it was there. An apple tree dominated the middle of the space, with small shrubs along the edges and flowers blossoming everywhere. Closed off from the rest of the city, the two simply relaxed in the comfort of each others arms.

Nearly a week after returning to the city, the couple was again relaxing in this garden; Kael'thas sat with his back against the tree, Shiloh on his lap, her head leaned back against his shoulder. The sun was bright overhead, the sky blue and endless. Kael'thas found he was never more content than when he was sitting like this with Shiloh. He marveled at how much had changed since his encounter with Jaina and Arthas in the hallway so long ago.

Lost in reverie, he hadn't realized anyone was approaching until the young man stepped into the garden from the small passage. He looked uncomfortable, although Kael'thas noted a brief look of relief when he saw that they were just sitting together; he smiled wryly at the thought of what the young man had expected to walk into.

"Archmage Antonidas wishes to speak with both of you," the young man stated clearly. "He says it is important."

Kael'thas felt Shiloh tense against him and shared her worry; keeping a carefully neutral expression, he dismissed the young man.

"Kael'thas..." Shiloh whispered, looking up at him, brow creased with worry.

"I'm sure everything is alright. If we were being attacked, we would've already known," Kael'thas reassured her.

He stood, pulling her up with him, keeping her in his arms; he turned her around to face him and pressed his lips lightly against hers. Then, taking her hand in his, he began to walk out of the small grove and toward Antonidas' office.

While Kael'thas knew he could've simply teleported there, he found he didn't want to; despite his reassurances to Shiloh, cold dread was building in his stomach and he wanted to prolong this sense of peace before it was destroyed by whatever Antonidas had to say. The walk was still only a few short minutes, and he took a deep breath, feeling Shiloh squeeze his hand lightly, before they walked into the Archmage's office.

Kael'thas noticed two things at once: the grim expression on Antonidas' face, and the dirty looking elf standing next to him. Fear shot through him and he stopped suddenly, unable to move; impossible, that elf had to be there for another reason. It couldn't be.

The elf bowed before Kael'thas, but hesitated before speaking, a deep sorrow clouding his face.

"My prince... Quel'thalas was attacked by Arthas and his forces. We tried valiantly to defend our beloved city, but it fell nonetheless; we lost many and I am lucky to have survived to deliver this message. Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner fell and..." the elf trailed off, looking down.

"And?" Kael'thas managed to croak out.

"King Anasterian was slain in battle by Arthas while attempting to defend the Sunwell," the elf said, meeting Kael'thas' gaze as he spoke.

Kael'thas stood frozen, unable to react. His people... his father... slaughtered. At the hands of Arthas Menethil.

"Kael'thas?" Shiloh asked worriedly, her hands gripping tightly onto his. He looked down at her in stunned silence and saw tears streaming down her face; without thinking, he pulled her to him and held on to her tightly.

"Some survived, but many more fell in battle. We are devastated... my king," the elf continued.

King. The word shocked Kael'thas, and the numbness that had washed over him was suddenly replaced by hot anger, flowing through his veins like fire. He desired revenge above all else, to inflict as much pain on Arthas as he had on the elven people. He vowed that he would see the once human prince pay for what he had done, no matter the cost.

The shaking form in his arms, her body racked by sobs, brought Kael'thas back from his angry thoughts of revenge. The anger still continued to course through him, and he thought it was the only thing that stopped him from completely succumbing to the raw, shattering pain he felt in his chest. He continued holding Shiloh, while Antonidas and the elf left quietly, in an attempt to give them some privacy while they grieved. Eventually, her sobs quieted and she pulled back to look at him; she rested her hand lightly against his face.

"Kael'thas. I... I am so sorry," she said quietly.

"I need to take a walk," he replied, barely above a whisper. He needed to clear his head, subdue some of the overpowering anger still clouding his thoughts. Angry outbursts and recklessness were not what his people needed now; they needed a leader, someone who could help them recover from this devastating blow.

Shiloh nodded, a brief look of worry crossing over her face, but Kael'thas turned and left before she could say anything more. Shiloh watched as he left, standing silently in the empty room.

An hour later, Shiloh lay curled around a pillow on Kael'thas' bed. He still had not returned from his walk, and she was beginning to worry. She thought him levelheaded enough not to do anything stupid or reckless but grief drove people to do things they normally wouldn't.

When the door finally opened and Kael'thas stepped through, overwhelming relief washed through her. He was safe. She sat up and he beckoned for her to join him; she stood and walked over to him, slightly confused. But he only took her hand and led them out, through the streets of Dalaran until they reached the little garden they had claimed as their own.

He stood just out of the shade of the tree and looked up at the sky, a lone cloud drifting past overhead; Shiloh watched quietly with him.

"I have to return to my people and lead them. They will need a steady hand to guide them and that duty falls to me. I would wish for you to stand by my side, but I will understand if you no longer wish to," Kael'thas said, his gaze moving from the sky to the woman standing beside him.

"Kael'thas, I've told you before; I will always stand by your side. None of what has happened changes that. I love you," Shiloh replied, hope sparking in her chest for the first time in a while.

"I love you too," Kael'thas whispered before turning toward her and leaning down, his lips capturing hers before he pulled back and Shiloh saw a new light enter his eyes, one of determination.

"Then we will rule together, side by side. We will forge a new civilization for our people; for the Blood Elves," Kael'thas stated.

Shiloh smiled at him and Kael'thas returned the smile after a pause; then both looked back toward the sky, hope for the future blooming in them. Together.


End file.
